A Promise Kept
by Today-Only-Happens-Once
Summary: Soda's "speech" at the end of the Outsiders affected the two other brothers. They promised to not fight each other anymore. And they were going to keep that promise. Random One-shot. Please R&R!


**Yeah, it's me. And I'm sorry that I haven't updated Mistakes yet. It's the longest story that I've written so far and I just need a short break from it, ya dig? So anyway, this one-shot is pretty random. I had written it on a whim a while ago but I wasn't sure if I liked it. And then I thought, what the hey? And so here it is. I guess my underlying point to this is that: I've read a lot of Curtis brother fanfictions where they (Darry and Ponyoy) keep fighting and ignore Soda's thing at the end of the book. I decided that I wanted to write one where it showed that it actually affected the two of them. I hope you enjoy it. **

Darry slammed the door closed and ran up the stairs. He walked into the school office, ignoring Ponyboy who looked up when he walked in.

"I'm here to pick Ponyboy Curtis up," Darry told the lady at the desk. She glared at him over the top of her glasses.

"Ponyboy?" the lady said, monotone, looking at the youngest Curtis.

"Yes, ma'am?" he asked.

"You're free to go."

He stood and swung his bag onto his shoulder. He glared angrily at another kid in the office, who returned the gesture hatefully. Darry wondered at it for a moment before shrugging it off. Ponyboy climbed in the truck as Darry got in the driver's seat.

"Thanks for picking me up, Darry." Ponyboy said quietly. Darry didn't answer, still a little bitter from before.

**FLASHBACK**

"_Mr. Curtis?" a voice at the other end of the line asked._

"_Yes, ma'am. How may I help you?" _

"_Your brother, Ponyboy, got into a fight at school and we need you to pick him up if at all possible." _

_Darry groaned, gripping the phone tightly._

"_Yeah, I'll be there. What time?" _

"_Four, Ponyboy has been asked to stay after for detention." Darry sighed._

"_Thank you so much. I'll be there at four." _

"_Thank you, Mr. Curtis," _

_Darry hung up. His boss had all-but-physically forced him to take the day off, and now Ponyboy basically ruined his day. _

**END FLASHBACK**

"Ponyboy, what—"

"I didn't start the fight, Darry." Ponyboy cut in, firmly. Darry looked at him out of the corner of his eye. Ponyboy was a heck of a good liar, but Darry knew the little things that his brother did when he lied. Ponyboy was looking intently at Darry, and Darry knew that he was telling the truth.

But Darry was still annoyed.

"But you still took part in it, right?"

"Technically, yes."

"Do—,"

"Darry, I don't really want to talk about it."

Darry sighed, letting it go. For now.

He pulled into the drive way and turned to get a better look at Ponyboy. He had a split lip, a black eye, swollen nose, and a good size bruise at the base of his jaw. Concern welled up in the pit of Darry's stomach, making him forget for a moment that he was annoyed.

"Hey, Pone?" Darry asked.

Ponyboy stopped, bag in hand. "Yeah, Dar?"

"You okay?"

Ponyboy shrugged as Darry got out. They both slammed the doors shut (out of habit) before Ponyboy answered. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"You need ice?"

Ponyboy eyed him. "Um…"

"You're getting ice." Darry said when he sensed his younger brother's hesitation. Ponyboy rolled his eyes. He went straight into his room to start his homework and Darry went into the kitchen to get a bag of ice. He went into his brothers' room and placed the bag beside Ponyboy. Ponyboy glanced up from his math book and mumbled a thanks. Darry nodded and went into the kitchen in search of something to make for dinner.

Ponyboy walked in (holding the bag of ice to his jaw), looking for a spare pencil, and froze in the doorway for a moment, not expecting Darry to be in there. He walked quickly past Darry, hoping to go unoticed.

"Ponyboy, I need to talk to you," Darry sighed. Ponyboy stopped and grimaced, his back to Darry, before turning around to face him.

"I didn't start the fight Darry." He stated.

"I know. You told me that already. What you didn't tell me is exactly what happened."

FLASHBACK

"_Hey! Grease!" a rough voice shouted. Ponyboy turned around, but it wasn't directed to him. It was directed to some other kid that Ponyboy had only seen in passing. The kid, who couldn't have been older than twelve, hurried on, seemingly anxious to get to his next class. "Hey!" the older guy, a Soc (who else?), called, running to catch up with him. He grabbed the kid's shoulder and shoved him up agianst the wall. Ponyboy watched, not sure if he should step in. I mean, it was a twelve year old greaser against a fifteen year old Soc. There wasn't going to be much of a fight. Ponyboy hesitated a moment longer before reaching his decision._

"_Hey! Leave the kid alone." Ponyboy called. He wouldn't let this happen. Not to a little kid. The Soc turned to him, narrowing his eyes._

"_You really wanna pick this fight?" the kid drawled, still holding the other kid in place on the wall._

"_Man, at least pick on someone your own size." Ponyboy stated, not backing down. The younger kid managed to squirm his way free, rushing off to class. The Soc watched him go before turning his hateful eyes on Ponyboy. He walked quickly to Pony, slamming Ponyboy's books to the ground. Ponyboy simply looked at him. The hallway was empty now._

"_What did you say, greaser?"_

"_Pick. On Someone. Your. Own. Size," Ponyboy articluated. _

"_Someone like you?" he sneered. _

_What is this kid's deal? Ponyboy thought. He rolled his eyes. He knelt down and started to pick up his books when the Soc kicked him in the face. Ponyboy's nose started to gush blood. Ponyboy felt his nose, sure it was probably broken, and glared up at the kid. He gathered his books again and stood. They were slammed on the ground again, and a powerful punch hit Ponyboy square in the jaw. Ponyboy staggered back a couple of steps from the force of the blow. The Soc continued toward him, drawing his fist back. Ponyboy punched him._

_The fight erupted. _

_They both got in their fair share of kicks and punches and bruises, and Ponyboy was pretty sure he was going to have a black eye. _

_Before he knew it, there were teachers pulling them apart and a crowd of students that seemed secretly disappointed._

"_Mr. Curtis! Mr. Bick! Dentention! Students, get back to your classes."_

END FLASHBACK

"You mad, Dar?" Ponyboy asked quietly after telling his story.

"Heck yeah—"

"Dar, I didn't start it! It was self-defense! Glory, Darry!" Ponyboy shouted.

"Ponyboy—"

"It's not my fault that Socs like to beat me up! I thought I was doing the right thing! Taking the high road like Dad always told to!"

"Ponyboy!" Darry shouted, stopping Ponyboy mid-rant. Darry smiled slightly with pride at his younger brother. "I said I was mad. And I am," Darry put his hand up to stop Ponyboy who had opened his mouth to argue. "But I promise I'm not mad at _you_. Ya dig?"

Ponyboy looked relieved. "Wait," he said, his expression changing into a cross between skeptisism and confusion, "then who are you mad at?"

"Shoot, Pony, I'm mad at the Soc that tried to beat up my kid brother." Darry grinned, ruffling Ponyboy's hair. "I know it ain't your fault. 'Sides, I'd rather you punch him back than let him beat the tar outta you." Ponyboy grinned, swatting Darry's hand away.

"Thanks, Dar," Ponyboy stated.

"As long as it _is _self-defense." Darry added. "Go around pickin' fights and I'll skin hear?"

"Loud and clear, Superman."

**Like I said. Random and kinda pointless, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. **


End file.
